Abstract: An article includes turbulation material bonded to a surface of a substrate via a bonding agent, such as a braze alloy. In an embodiment, the turbulation material includes a particulate phase of discrete metal alloy particles having an average particle size within a range of about 125 microns to about 4000 microns. Other embodiments include methods for applying turbulation and articles for forming turbulation.

Abstract: An array of solder balls is formed on a first substrate for interconnecting with conductive sites on another substrate. A ball pickup tool picks up balls with a vacuum suction from a fluidized ball reservoir and utilizes a puff of gas to release the solder ball(s) carried thereon to conductive sites of a substrate for bonding thereto. In another embodiment, the bond pads of a substrate are coated with a flux or adhesive and lowered into a fluidized ball reservoir for direct attachment of solder balls.

Abstract: Forming solder bumps each having a constant height by surely supplying onto each of electrode pads a solder ball corresponding to a predetermined volume while omitting Au plating performed on the electrode pads onto which the solder bumps are to be formed. For achieving the forming of the solder bumps, the adhesive film is formed instead of the Au plating, the adhesive film being used as an oxidation-preventing film and as film for temporarily fixing each of the solder balls, the solder balls being supplied by stencil mask or the vacuum adsorbing mask.

Abstract: An assembly method in which a brazing metal is initially filled into radial wells pierced in an annular injection piece having first injection orifices for discharging a primary fuel, and in a cylindrical endpiece surrounding the annular injection piece and having secondary injection orifices for discharging a secondary fuel; thereafter the annular injection piece is fitted inside the cylindrical endpiece and these pieces are together fitted on a first tube for feeding primary fuel and a second tube for feeding secondary fuel and surrounding the first tube, and also to an outer wall of the injector; finally, the end portion of the injector as assembled in this way is placed in an enclosure where it is heated so as to melt the brazing metal to unite the parts.

Abstract: A method of establishing a leak tight and structural connection between a core tube and an accommodating header plate in a tubular heat exchanger, including the steps of positioning the core tube into bores of the header plate and a braze foil, installing a ferrule inside the core tube end, radially expanding the ferrule in the core tube end, thus expanding the core tube end into intimate contact with the header plate in which it is received, deforming a ferrule into pinching contact with the braze foil plate, directing the flow of the braze material towards the contact surface area, and brazing the tubular heat exchanger in order to form a seal at the intimate contact area. A leak tight connection and a tubular heat exchanger having a leak tight connection produced via the noted method are also set forth.

Abstract: An array of solder balls is formed on a first substrate for interconnecting with conductive sites on another substrate. A ball pickup tool picks up balls with a vacuum suction from a fluidized ball reservoir and utilizes a puff of gas to release the solder ball(s) carried thereon to conductive sites of a substrate for bonding thereto. In another embodiment, the bond pads of a substrate are coated with a flux or adhesive and lowered into a fluidized ball reservoir for direct attachment of solder balls.

Abstract: A barrier metal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes, one formed on a substrate and other connected to an electronic component, so as to coat a base material of the electrode, which base material is made of a material containing Cu. Soldering between the electrode of the electronic component and the electrode on the substrate is conducted by supplying a solder material containing Sn and Zn, contacting the solder material with the barrier metal layer while the solder material is in a molten state; and solidifying the solder material. Thereby, in the case where the electronic component is soldered to the substrate with the solder material such as an Sn—Zn based material, the degradation of a soldering part is avoided, and thus a sufficient thermal fatigue strength of the soldering part is obtained.

Abstract: An array of solder balls is formed on a first substrate for interconnecting with conductive sites on another substrate. A ball pickup tool picks up balls with a vacuum suction from a fluidized ball reservoir and utilizes a puff of gas to release the solder ball(s) carried thereon to conductive sites of a substrate for bonding thereto. In another embodiment, the bond pads of a substrate are coated with a flux or adhesive and lowered into a fluidized ball reservoir for direct attachment of solder balls.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus are disclosed for use in mounting particles on and de-mounting particles from a substrate having an array of tacky and non-tacky areas. The particles can be either electrically conducting or electrically non-conducting. Selection of electrically conducting particles is preferred. The substrate having an array of tacky and non-tacky areas can either be electrically non-conducting (e.g., a dielectric substrate) or electrically-conducting. The methods involve use of first and second electrode plates with the substrate therebetween, the plates having applied thereto a direct current potential, which potential in preferred embodiments is reversed in polarity for a number N of cycles. Methods and articles are disclosed using an electrically conductive surface adjacent the tacky and non-tacky areas to minimize static buildup on the particles and tacky and non-tacky areas.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a brazed body including forming a multi-layer assembly having: a first material capable of forming a first oxide and having a melting temperature higher than 660° C.; a first reducing metal adjacent the first material, the reducing metal capable of reducing at least a portion of the first oxide on the first material a braze adjacent to the reducing metal; and a second material adjacent the braze, the second material being a material having a melting temperature higher than 660° C. The method then includes creating a vacuum around the assembly, and heating the assembly to melt the reducing metal and the braze. The assembly is then subject to cooling to thereby form the brazed body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a heat-conducting connection between two work pieces (1, 2). which is characterized by first producing a porous sintered layer (3), interposed between the two work pieces (1, 2) and sintered onto every work piece (1, 2) across a certain area, and subsequently compacting the porous sintered layer (3) sintered onto the two work pieces (1, 2) by pressing the two work pieces (1, 2) against each other.

Abstract: A work conveying path is provided in the longitudinal direction of a work on which balls are to be mounted. A ball supply tray for supplying balls and a mount head are disposed so that their longitudinal directions substantially coincide with the longitudinal direction of the work. Further, a ball inspection unit for inspecting balls sucked on the mount head is disposed so that the projecting direction of inspection light from the ball inspection unit intersects the aforementioned longitudinal directions substantially perpendicularly.

Abstract: A method and system for rapid heat-sink soldering, having a workpiece gripper, an intense heat source, and an optional air-jet cooling system, is provided for soldering workpieces to substrates of dissimilar material composition. The workpiece gripper selectively positions the workpiece closely adjacent the substrate and continually removes excess heat from the workpiece, both during and after the application of heat to the workpiece. Upon termination of the heat application, air-jet cooling can be provided to the workpiece to quickly cool the terminal and the molten layer of solderable material.

Abstract: A directionally solidified nickel-base superalloy article has a defect therein extending parallel to the solidification direction. The article is repaired by removing any foreign matter present in the defect, and then heating the article to a repair temperature of from about 60 to about 98 percent of the solidus temperature of the base material in a chamber containing a protective gas that inhibits oxidation of the base material. The defect is filled with a filler metal while maintaining the article at the repair temperature. The filling is accomplished by providing a source of the filler metal of substantially the same composition as the base material of the directionally solidified article, and melting the filler metal into the defect progressively while moving the source of the filler metal relative to the article in a direction parallel to the solidification direction.

Abstract: Methods of forming arrays of electrical interconnects between substrates are provided. These methods allow the use of large interconnect bump arrays to physically and electrically connect substrates without the need to use excess pressure on the substrates to form the interconnects, thus reducing damage to the substrates. To form the interconnects, an array of bumps is formed on a first substrate from a material that forms a eutectic composition with a second material. An array of bumps composed of the second material is formed on the second substrate. The arrays are aligned and the bumps contacted at a temperature above the eutectic temperature of the eutectic composition. Each of the bumps on the first substrate melts and diffuises into the corresponding bumps on the second substrate to form the interconnects.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing items. The dispensing apparatus includes a dispensing outlet and an item holder having item holding areas and being movably disposed to position the item holding areas one at a time in sequence over the dispensing outlet so that when one of the item holding areas is positioned over the dispensing outlet, the other item holding areas are not disposed over the dispensing outlet. The dispensing apparatus further includes a blocker disposed over the item holder opposite the dispensing outlet, the blocker blocking access to the dispensing outlet from directly above the item holder when the item holder positions one of the item holding areas over the dispensing outlet.

Abstract: In devices for solder-ball bonding of a bonding pad of a slider of a head gimbal assembly to a lead pad of a lead, although a device that can perform (1) the supply of solder balls, (2) the positioning of a solder ball, (3) the blowing of nitrogen gas N2, and (4) the melting of the solder ball by laser radiation in one device is available, there are various problems that cannot improve the efficiency of laser radiation, maintenance, or operation efficiency, due to spatial restriction, difficulty of weight reduction, or fixed operation procedures. A solder-ball holder and an optical device are configured separately, and a vacuum pad is provided. A solder ball held in a solder-ball holding hole of the solder-ball holder is transported by the vacuum pad to a connecting portion of a head gimbal assembly, and solder reflow is carried out by the optical device.

Abstract: An article includes a substrate and an adhesion layer overlying the substrate. The adhesion layer includes a first phase including particles, and a second phase including braze alloy that bonds the particles to the substrate. The article further includes a ceramic layer overlying the adhesion layer. In one embodiment, the ceramic layer is a thermal barrier coating (TBC), formed of stabilized zirconia (ZrO2).

Abstract: A one-step bumping/bonding process for forming a semiconductor package is disclosed. In the method, a first electronic substrate which has either a plurality of conductive pads or a plurality of recessed openings formed on top of a plurality of apertures through the substrate is first provided and aligned with a second electronic substrate that has a plurality of conductive pads with each aperture aligned to a conductive pad on the second substrate. A plurality of solder balls is then planted on top of the plurality of conductive pads or the plurality of recessed openings on the surface of the first electronic substrate by a pick-and-place technique. Alternatively, a plurality of solder paste may be printed by a thick film stencil printing process similarly in place of the plurality of solder balls.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention a reactive multilayer foil is fabricated by providing an assembly (stack or multilayer) of reactive layers, inserting the assembly into a jacket, deforming the jacketed assembly to reduce its cross sectional area, flattening the jacketed assembly into a sheet, and then removing the jacket. Advantageously, the assembly is wound into a cylinder before insertion into the jacket, and the jacketed assembly is cooled to a temperature below 100° C. during deforming. The resulting multilayer foil is advantageous as a freestanding reactive foil for use in bonding, ignition or propulsion.

Abstract: A device (14) for implementing a method for setting on a substrate (2) interconnecting balls or preforms (1) comprising the following phases: storing in bulk the preforms (1); seizing in ordered position the preforms (1) with an adapted gripping device (9); setting the preforms (1) on the substrate (2) with the gripping device (9). Said device (14) is charaterized in that it consists of at least a matrix for storing the preforms, said matrix comprising a floor capable of acting as stop for the preforms when the matrix is being filled thereby enabling the implementation of a method whereby the passage from bulk storage to ordered storage is performed in masked time. The device is useful for incorporating or replacing balls in substrates of electronic components.

Abstract: A method of repairing cracks, imperfections, and the like in a cast article of superalloy composition having a directionally oriented microstructure and growth axis. An aperture, usually frustois created in the article in the location of the crack or imperfection. A plug, having a second directionally oriented microstructure having a directional microstructure with a growth axis and a superalloy composition substantially identical to the article superalloy composition, is created. Such plug further possesses an inner end, an outer end, and a surface therebetween. The plug is inserted into the aperture whereby the plug growth axis is oriented in alignment with the article growth axis. Bonding material is applied between the surfaces of the plug and the aperture, before or after insertion of the plug into the aperture. The article is thereafter heated such that the bonding material joins the surface of the plug and the aperture.

Abstract: In a method for joining a steel tube with an aluminum rib, a zinc-aluminum alloy layer, having an aluminum content of 0.5% by wt. to 20% by wt., is applied to the surface of the steel tube or the aluminum rib, and then a fluxing agent in the form of cesium-aluminum tetrafluoride is applied between the steel tube and the aluminum rib at room temperature before or during the mechanical contact of the aluminum rib with the steel tube. The steel tube provided with the aluminum rib is then heated to a soldering temperature of between 370° C. and 470° C. and subjected to room temperature to cool down.

Abstract: A minute work piece in various mechanical or electric component parts is securely brazed by shooting a thin gas flame toward the work piece at a pinpoint while supplying a thread of soldering metal straight to the work piece to heat the work piece and melt the soldering metal, thereby to braze the soldering metal to the work piece. The pinpoint brazing method and device makes it possible to form reliable connection between the conductive terminal of a relay coil and a lead wire wound on a coil bobbin through a sphere-shaped soldering metal. The relay coil thus produced by the brazing method is suitably applicable to various kinds of machinery bringing about vibration, such as automobiles.

Abstract: There is provided a method of hermetically sealing electronic parts, comprising the step of bonding a base having semiconductor devices mounted thereon and a cap together via a solder. The solder is composed, by weight, of 78% or more but less than 79.5% Au, and the balance Sn. It is particularly preferred that the bonding is performed with the use of a solder composition composed, by weight, of 78% or more but 79% or less Au, and the balance Sn as the solder and furthermore through plating the cap with gold.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lead bonding method for SMD packages. The lead bonding method includes the step of placing a package body with its lead-positioning surface facing upward. A lead with solder is arranged on the lead-positioning surface of the package body using vision system. The lead is spot-welded onto the package body to fix the lead to the package body. The package body spot-welded together with the lead is arranged in a positioning depression of a jig with the lead facing downward. The solder formed on the lead are melted to bond the lead to the package body.

Abstract: The solder paste printing method of the present invention mounts a solder paste containing therein as a solder material a Sn—Zn system solder on a mask, and urges the solder paste to make rolling over the mask from one end thereof toward the opposite thereof by means of a squeegee to thereby fill the solder paste into apertures formed in the mask. At this time, by maintaining moisture contained in the atmosphere surrounding the solder paste at a value equal to or less than a predetermined value, as the solder paste is suppressed from causing an increase in the viscosity thereof due to the reaction with the moisture in the surrounding atmosphere during the solder paste printing process, the rolling ability of the solder paste during the printing process can be kept, and attachment of the solder paste to the squeegee can be prevented.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for attaching conductive materials to a substrate and for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. A pallet is provided with pockets to hold the conductive materials, the substrate is placed over the pallet, and the semiconductor chip is placed over the substrate. The assembled semiconductor package is then placed in a heating oven or reflowed and the conductive materials and semiconductor chip are simultaneously attached to the substrate. Also provided is a stencil for varying the pockets into which the conductive materials are placed. In uses involving the stencil, a pallet with a full array of pockets is used and a stencil with holes corresponding to the desired pattern of application of the conductive materials is placed over the pallet. When the conductive materials are applied over the stencil, they fill only those pockets in the pallet that correspond to the desired pattern of application.

Abstract: A method for attaching an electronic die to a substrate is disclosed. Preferably, the method includes depositing a pad of low temperature die attachment material within a die attachment area on the substrate, positioning the die over the pad of low temperature die attachment material, and compressing the die against the substrate to expel air trapped within the pad of low temperature die attachment material. Further, a bead of containment material is deposited onto the substrate to define the die attachment area. In this manner, the die attachment material is contained on the substrate. Thus, the method of the present invention improves the reliability of the electronic die.

Abstract: In the conventional bump forming method that can be applied to a semiconductor device in which a large number of bumps are required to be formed, there are various limitations on the material of which the bumps are made, due to enough cubic volume of bumps and to small scattering of the bump height. According to the invention, solder balls and a tool having a large number of through-holes are used, and under the condition that the through-holes of the tool are aligned with the pads of the semiconductor device, the solder balls are charged into the through-holes, pressed to be fixed on the pads, and then reflowed to form bumps.

Abstract: A multi-tubular structure is fabricated without the use of a brazing flux by assembling a brazing assembly having no flux and having an inner tube, a bottom outer tube overlying the inner tube, and a top outer tube overlying the inner tube. The top outer tube and the bottom outer tube are coaxial along a tube axis but longitudinally spaced apart along the tube axis. A mass of a braze material overlies the inner tube and resides within the flared upper end of the bottom outer tube. The assembly is brazed in a vacuum by heating the braze material to a temperature above the braze-material melting point, and simultaneously moving the top outer tube and the bottom outer tube together along the tube axis so that their facing ends lie adjacent to each other.

Abstract: Torch tip for a torch, the tip adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel gas and oxygen source for generating a flame, the torch tip including a tubular or substantially tubular body having a plurality of flame emitting spaced orifices, wherein the tubular body preferably is substantially U-shaped and includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel elongated legs. The torch tip can be used to simultaneously heat a plurality of closely spaced pipes for ease of removal or attachment to an object such as a reversing valve.

Abstract: An assembly fixture for optical benches comprises a jig base, having at least one blind hole. The jig base is formed with a surface that is a non-wetting to solder material. The blind hole is shaped and sized in response to dimensions of the optical bench. The fixture further comprises a bench jig shroud. This shroud at least partially covers optical benches installed in the blind holes. Preferably, previsions are made in the top of the jig base at the interface with the jig shroud to facilitate its stable placement on the base.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator having a piezoelectric element and a lead wire for supplying a drive signal to the piezoelectric element. A melt material is immersed into a fusing agent. A quantity of the material and the fusing agent is supplied to a transfer plate and then adjusted. A preselected quantity of the melt material and the fusing agent is then transferred preselected quantity of the melt material and the fusing agent is supplied from the transfer tool to the lead wire. The melt material is then welded on the lead wire and on the piezoelectric element to thereby connect the lead wire to the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: There are disclosed a solder bump forming method and an apparatus therefor, which achieve a high reliability, and an electronic part, produced by this method and this apparatus, is also disclosed. For each of the step of arraying solder balls, the step of supplying a flux, and the step of mounting the solder balls on a board, it is checked whether or not any solder ball is omitted, and the process is conducted while confirming the condition of the operation, thereby enhancing the reliability and also preventing defective products from being produced.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing a full face vehicle wheel and comprises the steps of: (a) providing a rim including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a well portion, an outboard tire bead seat, the inboard tire bead seat retaining flange including an outer surface, the inboard tire bead seat including an outer surface, an the outboard tire bead seat including an outer surface; (b) providing a disc including a generally centrally located inner wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion, the outer annular portion including an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner wheel mounting portion including at least one of a fully formed center pilot hole and a plurality of fully formed lug bolt mounting holes, the center pilot hole defining a pilot hole axis and each of the lug bolt holes defining a lug bolt hole axis; (c) providing a wheel fixture tooling assembly for supporting the rim and the disc relative to one another, the wheel fixture tooling a

Abstract: A method of fabricating solder columns. The method includes the step of providing a substrate having predesignated locations thereon for fabrication of solder columns. An extrusion mold is provided which has apertures extending therethrough and a pair of opposing surfaces. The predesignated locations are aligned with the apertures along one of the surfaces and a solder tape is provided over the other of the opposing surfaces and over the apertures. The portion of the solder tape over the apertures is extruded through the apertures to the one of the surfaces. The portion of the solder tape is heated to at least its flow temperature by heating the substrate and optionally also heating the extrusion mold. The step of extruding comprises the steps of providing a plunger having a plurality of fingers, each finger aligned with an aperture and driving the fingers through the solder tape to drive the solder tape over the apertures to the one of the surfaces.

Abstract: Provided is a bonding method in which two or more different members are bonded through a fitting structure by forming a bonding layer of an adhesive composition controlled in expansion coefficient, even if the clearance between wall surfaces of the different members in the fitting structure is not enough to pour a given amount of a hard solder therein, and a composite member made by the method is further provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing an array of solder balls on a substrate includes a carrier plate having an array of holes therethrough. Each hole is capable of holding a solder ball. A ball placement head having an array of pins is aligned with a desired pattern of solder balls held by the carrier plate. The array of pins push the pattern of solder balls through the holes in the carrier plate onto the substrate.

Abstract: A composite material is produced by a method where an adhesive composition which comprises a particulate material that reduces thermal stress and a brazing material containing a noble metal element as a base, wherein the adhesive composition can bond two or more kinds of different members to form a composite member with sufficient bond strength to avoid causing damages, such as cracks that occur on the side of the member that is weak against thermal stress, and also by a method to produce a composite member comprised of two or more kinds of different members, in which either the adhesive composition is used or the bonding portion of the different members is filled with the particulate material that reduces thermal stress, and then a molten brazing material is poured there into, and cooled to bond the members.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to provide a transient liquid phase solder joint by annealing and quenching. The invention allows the attainment of a single phase solder joint at room temperature which will not reflow in subsequent thermal processing above the initial reflow temperature and thus obviates the need for a solder material hierarchy.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing heat-insulating structural and/or light elements composed of at least two wall elements of glass, a glass alloy or metal, wherein the wall elements are separated from each other by support elements and are provided on at least one of surfaces thereof facing each other with a layer reflecting heat radiation, and wherein the structural and/or light elements further are composed of a deformable sealing element for connecting the wall elements to obtain a hollow space between the wall elements which can be evacuated or supplied with gas.

Abstract: A soldering method is designed to seal an on-line transfer device of cable such that a housing of the device is sealed off to prevent the electromagnetic interference. The method includes a first step in which a fusing portion between a receiving seat and a cover of the housing is furnished with a soft solder. The cover is heated to cause the soft solder to melt to flow into the fusion portion, so as to fuse the receiving seat and the cover together. The housing of the device is free of the soldering marks or lumps.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a printed circuit board includes the steps of: fabricating a printed circuit board having at least one collapsed portion; depositing a first solder resist in the collapsed portion; exposing the first solder resist-coated printed circuit board at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure for a predetermined time; coating a second solder resist on the entire surface of the printed circuit board; and drying and hardening the first and the second solder resists. With this method, when a solder resist is coated, since an air space does not remain in a blind via hole, the reliability of the attachment between a printed circuit board and the solder resist layer is increased.

Abstract: A kind of composite metal coil/plate includes one parent metal coil/plate and at least one clad metal coil/plate as well as an interlayer composed of atoms of a brazing filler, the parent metal and the clad metal. The interlayer is about 2-10 &mgr;m in thickness. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing composite metal coil/plate. The method comprises pre-cladding the parent and clad metal coils/plates as well as the brazing filler foil in an inert or reductive atmosphere at 850-1000° C., and hot rolling cladding the same under inert or reductive atmosphere at 900-1050° C. A composite metal plate is obtained after cooling.

Abstract: The aim of the present invention is a process for manufacturing a plated product (1) comprising a support part in steel (2) and an anticorrosion metallic coating (3), characterized in that the anticorrosion coating (3) is fixed on the support part (2) by controlled-atmosphere brazing, in particular by vacuum brazing. The process according to the invention makes it possible to fix solidly an anticorrosion coating with a thickness smaller than 1 mm on a steel plate.

Abstract: A substrate (10, 80) includes a conductive layer (16, 82) which is non-wettable by solder. A solder receiving stud (22, 84) is formed on the conductive layer, preferably by plating. If used for transferring solder, a solder bump (32) is selectively formed on the solder receiving stud since the surrounding conductive layer is not wettable by the solder. A receiving substrate, such as a semiconductor device (100), is aligned with the substrate. The solder bump is heated to a liquidus state and the solder bump makes physical contact with a solder accepting stud (120) of the receiving substrate. Because the area of the solder accepting stud is larger than the area of the corresponding stud on the transfer substrate, the majority of the solder will transfer to the receiving substrate upon separation. Alternatively, the device could itself already have bumps formed thereon, in which case an unbumped substrate is used to test the device, and solder remains on the device upon separation.

Abstract: In the conventional bump forming method that can be applied to a semiconductor device in which a large number of bumps are required to form, there are various limitations to the material of which the bumps are made, to enough cubic volume of bumps and to small scattering of the bump height. According to the invention, solder balls and a tool having a large number of through-holes are used, and under the condition that the through-holes of the tool are aligned with the pads of the semiconductor device, the solder balls are charged into the through-holes, pressed to be fixed on the pads, and then reflowed to form bumps.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a pickup tool in accordance with the present invention includes multiple contact parts, which contact a passivation layer of a semiconductor chip so that the contact parts are far from chip pads and fuses when holding the semiconductor chip. Furthermore, a die bonding apparatus has one or two pickup tools, an aligning stage, and a bond stage or a bond head.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for protecting an electrical component from electrostatic discharge prior to its electrical connection to an additional component. Specifically, a flex on suspension circuit of a disc drive that is electrically connected to the read/write head is disclosed as having exposed leads for connection to a printed circuit cable assembly. The exposed leads are shunted with a solder conductor such as solder tape after testing of the circuit and head to prevent electrostatic build-up across the read and write elements. The flex on suspension circuit is then electrically connected to the printed circuit assembly cable by reflowing the solder conductor to bond the exposed leads of the flex on suspension circuit to the electrical contacts of the printed circuit assembly cable and also to remove the electrical short established between the exposed leads by the solder conductor.